HC tells state to fix proper wages for govt workers

The Division Bench (DB) of Chief Justice S J Mukhopadhyaya and Justice Akil Kureshi passed the order recently while acting on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by a legal-aid organization,Shree Yogkshem Foundation for Human Dignity.

The petitioner organisation has contended that the state government has been appointing youths as Vidya Sahayaks,Lok Rakshaks,sipahi and Border Wing personnel on a fixed monthly salary for a period of five years.

It added that while Vidya Sahayaks and Lok Rakshaks are paid a fixed salary of Rs 2,500,the jail sipahis are getting only Rs 1,500 as pay,which is less than even the minimum wages prescribed by the state.

Calling this unreasonable,unlawful,arbitrary and inhuman,the petitioner organisation has contended that it is in violation of not only the labour laws but also the Constitution of India and that it will attract penal action against the government. The petitioner has also contended that the system of appointing people with such low salaries would force them to indulge in corruption.

The petitioner has demanded to scrap the government system and to pay the employees of the above-mentioned posts in accordance with either the Minimum Wages Act or the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission.

While hearing the petition recently,the DB ordered: “The learned Advocate General appearing on behalf of the state is allowed two weeks’ time to obtain instructions if the state intends to fix monthly wages taking into consideration the minimum wages prescribed for such posts or the minimum pay prescribed as per the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission. If no decision is taken by the state authorities,the court may pass an appropriate order.”